


Ain't No Sunshine When You're Gone

by ObliqueOptimism



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Not Beta Read, Protective Dave, Sober Klaus Hargreeves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:41:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21677653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObliqueOptimism/pseuds/ObliqueOptimism
Summary: Klaus rarely defended himself. Especially from the ones he loved.Good thing Dave was here to defend him.
Relationships: Dave/Klaus Hargreeves
Comments: 48
Kudos: 825





	Ain't No Sunshine When You're Gone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mieczyhale](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mieczyhale/gifts).



> very much based on [this post on tumblr.](https://mieczyhale.tumblr.com/post/189363762705/ooc-for-some-reason-its-drilled-in-my-head-that) i hope this fulfills what everyone wanted. as per usual thanks to remus for being my cheerleader you helped so much bumblebae.

His sunshine couldn’t see him yet. But he was doing so good. He didn’t like seeing him suffering, of course not, but he was getting sober. He was proud. 

It had been fifty years since Dave died. Sometimes it felt like yesterday, sometimes it felt like it had been the fifty years. Time seemed pretty relative when you died. He could feel it when Klaus was born, he figured all ghosts did. He hung back most of the time, not wanting to be one of the ghosts that tortured him growing up. 

But after he came back from the War, everything he sent out screamed D A V E. So he came. Only his sunshine was still on drugs and couldn’t see him. And then he saw Klaus decide to get _sober_ for him. He would be there for Klaus, as soon as he could start seeing others beyond Ben.

He wanted to be the first ghost Klaus saw.

Klaus was so strong.

None of the others were giving Klaus the attention he deserved, the support he needed, but there was an apocalypse on the way so Dave guessed that was okay. He could understand why the other’s maybe didn’t notice Klaus struggling. A lot was happening. 

But that didn’t stop Klaus from noticing the other’s struggle. 

Dave watched as he tried to comfort his brother, Luther? Dave thought this was Luther. He’d recently found out some bad news. Klaus and his big heart, sitting next to his drunk brother. Dave was once more overcome with pride at seeing how Klaus wasn’t giving into temptation and drinking along with Luther. That Klaus was talking to him, calming words. 

Dave knew how calming Klaus could be. _His sunshine_. 

But then something changed and Dave missed it, too lost in his memories of Klaus, and Luther was mad. Dave frowned in worry. He knew a lot of men who let alcohol get the better of them. A sinking feeling overcame him as he watched Luther pick Klaus up and start to strangle him.

“Get off him!” Dave yelled, running forward. What the fuck. What the fuck. What the fuck. He was _powerless_ to stop Luther from harming Klaus. God damn it, why did he have to be dead. A ghost. He kept punching at Luther, get him to stop. He had to stop! Why wasn’t anyone else helping? Why couldn’t he--

He felt a connection.

Luther’s grip loosened, dropped Klaus who fell with a loud thump. Luther’ stumbled back and Dave turned to Klaus, keeping a note on where Luther was. He was still a danger to Klaus. Dave wanted to get Klaus as far away as he could but as he reached out to see how Klaus was, his hands went through his love.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

“Sunshine? I’m here. Klaus?” Dave reached out again, still very much a ghost.

Luther left.

Klaus woke up.

Ben told Klaus to go after him.

_Ben told Klaus to go after him._

Fucking. Ben.

Couldn’t Ben see? Klaus shouldn’t go after Luther. Luther had just tried to kill him. But both of them acted like this wasn’t exactly new. Dave fumed. He’d heard stories. About Luther’s powers. About exes who hurt Klaus. Yes, to them this wasn’t new. Dave yelled at them to not go after him. Luther didn’t deserve Klaus to put his life on the line for him. But Klaus had a big heart and little regard to his own safety.

Dave followed them to a rave.

He watched as Luther ignored Klaus, watched as Klaus almost took a pill, watched as Klaus started to have a flashback and cry for him.

“I’m here, sunshine! I’m here!” Dave tried to hold him, he prayed and wished Klaus would see him.

But no.

His prayers were not answered.

(Not yet anyway.)

Then Klaus saw someone going after Luther and the stupid, brave, beautiful man jumped in the way.

Dave couldn’t believe--

He had to watch his sunshine die--

Be taken away from him--

_luther_

He was just leaving.

Klaus was _dead_ and Luther was just leaving.

He was leaving.

he

left

Dave sat down next to Klaus, wondering how long he should wait. Would Klaus become a ghost? Would he move on? How long should he wait for his sunshine before he went looking?

“Dave?” Klaus’s voice rang out clear.

Dave blinked, looking around for a ghost but he didn’t see one. His mind must have been playing tricks on him. No ghost. And Dave couldn’t look at Klaus’s body yet.

“Dave, down here,” Klaus said.

Dave looked at the body to find Klaus, 

A L I V E

“So this is why I met up with Daddy and not you,” Klaus started to push himself up but his grip was weak from _dying_.

Dave reached out to help him get up and went through him, “Sunshine.”

“This is very surreal for me right now,” Klaus said, “Ben? Is Dave here?”

Dave then looked at Ben, having forgotten he was there. 

“You’re Dave?” Ben asked.

“Sunshine you’ve gotta get up and get someone to look you over. You just died.” Dave was worried.

“Luther?”

Dave glared, “He left.”

Klaus nodded and then got up and held himself, eyeing both Dave and Ben before stumbling out of the club. “We should make sure he’s okay.”

Ben gave a nod.

Dave couldn’t believe them. “No! We need to make sure _you’re okay_ , Klaus! He is fine! He left with a woman and he’s going to either have sex with her, pass out before he gets to, or chicken out and it does not matter which! Sunshine, he tried to kill you earlier--”

“No, he was just mad and--”

“And then he left you to die!” 

Klaus flinched, “This is not the loving reunion I was expecting.”

Dave sighed. Shame filled him. “I just had to watch you die, _please._ ”

“Yeah, I know what that’s like,” Klaus looked Dave in the eyes.

Dave flinched this time. It wasn’t anger in Klaus’s eyes, but understanding. The stupid, brave, beautiful man was accepting of Dave’s anger. He shouldn’t be. He should be defending himself. But Dave knew Klaus well.

Klaus rarely defended himself.

Especially from the ones he loved.

Good thing Dave was here to defend Klaus.

They made it back to the house. “You need someone to watch over you,” Dave said. “I’m worried.”

Klaus shrugged, “What’s the worst that would happen, love? _I die?_ ” He let out a tight laugh.

“Dave does have a point,” Ben said.

“Oh, no. Don’t gang up on me,” Klaus pouted. 

“You should get checked over by Pogo. Can’t have you falling into a coma,” Ben pointed out.

“But then I could sleep through the withdrawals,” Klaus muttered, going upstairs.

“Sunshine--”

Klaus sighed, “I know, Dave. Sorry.” He shot him a smile, “You know how I get when I’m dopesick.”

He did. Klaus was always more stand-offish. He always apologized later but Dave always understood. When you felt shitty you tended to lash out. Dave always wanted to care for Klaus more. Try and make him feel better, but Klaus never let him. Said he didn’t need or deserve Dave’s love whenever this happened. Dave thought he needed it more. 

And since he was dopesick so he could see Dave?

“I just want you healthy, sunshine,” Dave reached out, just shy of caressing Klaus’s cheek. “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve missed you. _I’m proud of you._ ”

“David, you’re making me blush,” Klaus’s lips turned up in a slight smile. He tilted his head so that it looked like Dave really was touching his cheek. 

And he did.

His thumb caressed Klaus’s cheek. They stood there, Dave wanting to gather Klaus in his arms but not wanting to test his luck. He was already so thankful to have Klaus back. But then he thought of their first kiss in the bar. He gently pulled Klaus to him and kissed him. 

He was so lucky, being able to hold his sunshine again. 

Dave then wrapped his arms around Klaus, holding him close.

For years he thought this would never happen. 

He trusted that he would be able to see _his_ Klaus, he never doubted. Whether or not Klaus would see him back was up for debate, but he didn’t think he’d be able to hold his love like this, so close and tight. He didn’t want to let go, he wanted to keep him safe. 

Safe from everyone.

From Luther, for one.

Klaus stumbled through Dave, _”Shit.”_

“Klaus--” Dave reached out.

“Gonna throw up,” Klaus muttered before running off to the bathroom.

Dave tried to hold Klaus through out the night night, but he usually wasn’t able to connect like he wanted. But he believed in Klaus, he was proud of him. Klaus would figure it out.

The next morning Klaus was chipper, withdrawals holding off some. He waved the large hand bell through Dave. “Ding-a-ling, darling.” 

Dave laughed, glad to see Klaus feeling better. 

“Let’s go wake up Luther and tell him the news from Reggie, eh? _Baby’s first hangover_ ,” Klaus waggled his eyebrows and rang the bell again.

Dave frowned, “I don’t want you alone with him, sunshine.” He hadn't forgotten how much Luther harmed Klaus the day before.

Klaus blew a raspberry at him, “It’ll be fine. He’s like a kitten, really. Just uh, bigger and stronger.”

“And meaner,” Dave supplied.

“Now, Dave, David, love of my life, my sun and stars, _I have met some fucking mean kittens_. Almost lost an eye once.”

“You lost your life,” Dave growled out.

Klaus tilted his head, “Tomato, _toe-mah-toe_.”

“This is not comparable,” Dave said pointedly.

“I still have grave news from beyond the grave to tell him. He thinks someone killed daddy. _And he was right!_ Le gasp!” Klaus fake gasped.

“Okay, I’ll play along. Who did it?”

“I shan’t tell you yet, you’ll have to wait like everyone else!” Klaus then went to go wake up Luther.

Dave paced protectively behind Klaus. Ben sat in a chair, letting Klaus pour him some coffee. Luther and Five were there.

At least Klaus wasn’t alone with Luther.

But Luther didn’t believe Klaus, couldn’t believe their father killed himself. 

“Listen you little shit!” Dave pointed at Luther, “You don’t have the right to disregard Klaus. Not after fucking yesterday!”

Klaus eyed Dave but didn’t say anything. Probably because his family never believed him about Ben, so he shouldn't start talking to _another_ ghost in front of them. Dave had heard stories about how none of them trusted him. His power was to see the dead! It wasn’t out of line that he could see Ben! 

(Five got a pass, he was gone. _But Luther--_ )

“You fucking need to listen to Klaus, mother fucker! Ugh, _he died for you_ , you piece of shit!” Dave glared and jabbed his finger at Luther.

Luther who was looking at him--

His finger that hit Luther’s chest--

_”What did you say,”_ Five didn’t ask.

They could see him.

He could touch things.

“This fucker!” Dave pushed Luther who was still sitting. “Choked Klaus out when he couldn’t talk to your bitch of a dad _and then_ left Klaus to die in the club he led Klaus to! Which is when he was able to talk to the old goatfucker. And now Luther has the _audacity_ to belittle Klaus, to say he _couldn’t_ have talked to fucking Reginald.” 

Klaus reached out and pulled Dave away from Luther, “Dave--”

Dave let Klaus drag him back, _”Bitch ass.”_

“Babes, c’mon. I told you it was fine--”

“It’s not fine! You _died_ and he _left you there,_ ” Dave reached out and caressed Klaus’s face again before pulling him close. 

“Who _are_ you?” Luther asked.

“I’m Dave.”

“He’s Dave.”

“Who _is_ Dave?” Luther said. “Is-- Klaus is Dave telling the truth?”

“Uh--”

“Yes, I am,” Dave announced.

“He is,” Ben added.

Dave had assumed Ben wasn’t manifesting, not like Dave was, otherwise Luther or Five would have said something sooner. Only Klaus replied to Ben. 

Klaus hissed at Ben while putting a hand over Dave’s mouth. “Both of you shut it.”

“Who else is here, Klaus?” Five asked, steepling his fingers.

“Pope Pius XII, Madonna, no one, _who asked you, anyway?_ ” Klaus muttered, ignoring Ben’s indignant snort. 

“Did Madonna die?” Luther asked, “Did I miss that when I was on the moon?”

Dave bit at Klaus’s hand, making him quickly pull it back, “Ben’s here. _Ben is always here_ But you don’t ever believe him!” He was getting worked up again.

“Okay, Dave, babes, cool your jets, _please_ for the love of all that is holy, stop being so feral. That’s only allowed in the bedroom,” Klaus said, holding onto Dave so he didn’t jump at Luther again.

“You were in Vietnam then,” Five said. Klaus turned to glare at Five. “Your ghost boyfriend is obviously from there. It also explains why you stayed for _ten months._ ”

“Ghost boyfriend?” Luther asked.

Klaus turned to Luther, “Can we not-- We need to talk about Dad, right? Apocalypse is a-comin’.”

“Where did he go?” Luther asked. “Dave? The ghost boyfriend?”

“I’m right here, you junkyard,” Dave glowered.

Klaus hushed him with a smirk, probably amused by the name calling, “He’s still here. Guess you’re not visible anymore, darling.”

Without Dave’s interruptions being heard, the conversation continued. Pogo being able to back up Klaus’s claim. None of it made Dave want to hit Luther less. He was getting fed up by the peabrain. And while Five had a pass for his missing years, Dave was keeping a close eye on him. 

As Klaus became more sober, and stayed as such, Dave would be there to defend him against his family. And anyone else.

He was there to wack Luther upside the head when he tried to subdue Vanya. He was there when the Commission stormed the house, wanting to make Vanya start the apocalypse and was able to take out many men as their bullets did nothing to him or Ben. He was there to hold onto Klaus as the family gathered together, having probably saved the world.

He was there for Klaus, his sunshine.

**Author's Note:**

> obliqueoptimism @ tumblr


End file.
